The disclosed invention relates generally to nut for securing a boat propeller to a motor. More specifically, the disclosed invention relates to a propeller nut for use with a through-hub exhaust propeller.
The propeller of many motorized boats that have an outboard motor or an inboard/outboard motor typically rests below the bottom surface of the boat, at or near the boat's trailing end (or stern), when the propeller is in use. Accordingly, as the propeller spins, it is able to propel the boat through the water.
A typical propeller includes a plurality of curved blades attached to a hub. Most recreational boat propellers are available in 3, 4, and 5 blade configurations. The propeller blades are curved relative to the hub. The hub is the cylindrical portion at the center of the propeller to which each propeller blade is attached. The center of the hub includes a concentric core that is sized to securely fit over a drive shaft extending from the boat motor transmission. Through-hub exhaust propellers include an open barrel hub that serves as an outlet for motor exhaust to escape without making blade contact, thereby improving acceleration.
The drive shaft includes external threads on a trailing end thereof. The propeller is secured to the motor drive shaft using a propeller nut having internal threads sized and configured to engage the external threads on the drive shaft and to secure the boat propeller about the drive shaft. The propeller nut is usually a conventional hexagonal nut.
Boat owners and operators are often interested in improving boat performance such as acceleration and top speed.
Accordingly, it would be an improvement in the art to provide a propeller nut that provides improved boat performance.